carter



(No Model.) l

I v J. H. CARTER.

' LETTER BOX.

N0. Z90 532. Patented Dec; 18, 1883.

WITNESSES: I @M L ea/ w ATTORNEYS.

llnrrsn Sra'rrs Parent Orricn.

JOl-l) H. CARTER, OF KEOKUK, lOvVA, ASSIGXOR OF ONEHALF TO FRANK A. \VHITNEY, OF SAME PLACE.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. $30,532, dated December 18, 1883.

Application filedlebruary 15, 1583. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J 0111: H. CARTER, of

Keokulr, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Letter-Box, of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact description.

My invention relates to that class of mailboxes that are adapted to be attached to the doors of dwelling-houses, into which the mail- IO carriers may drop the mail.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my new and improved mailbox as it appears when closed. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the box as it appears when open, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the bottom of the box.

A represents the main part of the box, attached by any suitable means to the outside of the door F. The outer edges of the side wall aa of this main part A are beveled off or inclined, as shown at a, a.

2 5 B is the cover or closing part of the box, which is pivoted to the main part A upon the rod 2'), upon which it is adapted to rock. The side walls 0 c of this closing part B fit outside of the side walls aa of the main part 0 A, while the end pieces, 0 0 thereof fit between them, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. lVhen the upper end of the part B is forced forward by the spring f, for closing the box, the upper portion of the outer wall, a", of the part B 5 will rest against the inclined edges 0 a of the main part A, and cause the upper wall, 0', to close the upper end of the: box A, as shown in Fig. 1, while the lower portion of the said wall 0 will stand away from the straight por- 0 tion a (t of the walls at a, as shown clearly in dotted lines in Fig. 2; but the lower wall, 0 of the closingpart B is of such size, relative to the bottom 0. of the main part A, as to still close the bottom of the box. For open 5 ing the box, the upper portion of the cover or closing part B is to be drawn outward by means of the ring (I, which will turn the part B on the rod 2), so that the lower portion of the cover B will stand against the straight portion a a of the wall a a, and its upper portion away from the inclined portions a a, as shown clearly in full lines in Fig. 2, thus causing the upper wall, a, to open the upper end of the main portion A, for depositing mail in and removing it from the box. The turning of the closing portion 13 upon the rod Z) in opening the box will be against the action of the spring f, whichwill automatically close the box as soon as the ring (1 is released.

The spring f may be arranged in various positions to accomplish the automatic closing of the box; but I prefer to place it upon the rod g, which is attached to the closing part B below the pivot I), and passes thence through the back of the main portion A and through the door F, and this rod has the alarm-bell h attached to its inner end, as shown in Fig. so that the rod not only serves to apply the action of the spring f for closing the box, but

at the same time serves to give the alarm when the mail is deposited. Constructed in this manner, it will be seen that the box is cheap and simple and convenient for the mailcarrier, as no time will be required in closing the box.

The box may be made of sheet metal or wood, or the two combined, cast-iron, brass, or any other suitable metal; and the box may have a lock attachment so placed that the box maybe opened far enough by the carrier to deposit mail, but not far enough to allow mail to be taken out until it is unlocked, and the locking may be by a simple hasp and padlock, chain and lock, or any other suitable means, and, instead of having asep arate alarm bell, the rod g might be attached by a wire to the door-bell, and instead of making the bottom pieces, c a, square, as shown, they may be concaved or dished, so as to fit each other,

the curvature being struck from the pivot of the closing portion 13.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a mail-box, the part A, having the side walls a a beveled at a and straight at a in combination with a pivoted part, B, having side walls 0, fitting on the outside of walls a, end

walls, 0 c fitting between the walls a a, and .3. The main portion A of the boX, having the wall 0 resting on the inclines a, as shown the inclined outer edges, a a, and bottom a", and described. in combination with the closing portion B,

2. The combination, with the parts A B, of having the end pieces, 0 c pivoted to the I 5 5 the rod attached to part B, passing across main part A upon the rod 12, substantially as and through part A, the door F, provided described. with an opening for the passage of said rod, and the alarm h, connected with the end of said rod, whereby the same spring may simul- WVitnesses: 1o taneously close the door and sound the alarm, FRANK A. XVHITNEY, as described. 'CHARLIE GHRIsTY.

JOHN H. CARTER. 

